by Gael Rebu

Looking back on my last four years that I spent in high school I find myself having mixed feelings about my experience. These years have taught me so much about who I am and the kind of person I want to continue to be. I’ve learned how to manage a lot of work and the stress that came with it. I’ve had so many wonderful experiences that have helped me grow my passion for art, and I’m happy that I made some good friends and connections along the way. While high school has helped me learn a lot, I’m ready for what’s next

Let’s not pretend high school is something that I want to repeat; it’s something I will look back on with mild fondness but I can’t see myself wishing to go through any of it again. I would love to say that high school was some kind of deeply enlightening experience but it really wasn’t.

I feel like I’m ready to close off this chapter of my life and move on to the next. I’ve already achieved what I wanted to during these four years and I have new aspirations that high school can no longer help me with. As I transition to a new phase of life, I see a future that presents itself as a blank page that I can fill with new aspirations to accomplish.

Art has been one of the good things to come out of my experience at Sherwood. I’ve expanded my skills in my photography and can finally make pictures that I feel proud of and want to show off. I finally have the confidence to open up more through my art and to experiment by adding other mediums to my photos. Photography has been an outlet for me to express myself authentically; it is an extension of my voice and says everything that I can’t communicate with words. I finally see myself in a position where I can pursue art as a career path and I couldn’t be more excited to grow my skills as an artist.

As I stand between the threshold of my present and future, I am filled with anticipation of the next adventure. Looking forward, I see boundless opportunities and most importantly a future where I am doing what I love.